September 29, 1887 referendum on prohibition
On September 29, 1887, the people of Tennessee went to the polls to either ratify or reject a proposed amendment to the state constitution, that would codify statewide alcohol prohibition. This proposal had easily passed both houses of the state legislature, but was defeated by the electorate.Bond, Beverly Greene, and Sarah Wilkerson Freeman. Tennessee Women: Their Lives and Times--Volume 2. Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press, 2015. Background Perhaps the greatest period of political excitement was that following the introduction of the prohibition issue into Tennessee polities. This question had been an issue for a great many years, but about the year 1884 a temperance order was organized with the parent lodge at Doyle. This order was called the Independent Order of Good Templars. Some of the leading spirits in the organization were Honorable T. L. Mitchell, Dr. Douglas, Dr. Rascoe, and Dr. W. S. Findley. This organization, formed first in White County, became a state-wide movement. T. L. Mitchell was the first candidate on a prohibition platform. He had been a lifelong democrat. His opponent was Honorable L. D. Hill who defeated Mitchell for Representative. By 1887 the Good Templar movement had become powerful in the State. The wets had to organize to hold their ground, but the Good Templars were also well organized. Campaign This issue was one which aroused strong passions on both sides. Debate series The contest was especially bitter in White County. Honorable John L. Nolan, a silver tongued orator of Nashville and Judge Frizzell, leaders in the Good Templar or prohibition movement, came to White County to make three speeches. Debate at Doyle They came first to Doyle. It was a momentous occasion. H. C. Snodgrass and E. Jarvis met the speakers in debate at Doyle. Snodgrass was at the height of his powers. He had made his audience weep, including jurors, and even learned judges. He was considered the greatest lawyer in the South. Nolan also had a great reputation as a speaker. He had the reputation of bringing audiences to their feet by the time he had spoken three minutes. Jarvis and Snodgrass arrived in a buggy. Jarvis took out a grip, opened it, and took out a quart bottle. Each took a drink, Snodgrass opened the debate. He was the finest in ridicule, sarcasm, invective, and in resourcefulness that I have ever seen. He used as history what I now know to be fabrication. He stressed the asertion that the whole temperance program was gotten up to break up the democratic party. Nolan arose. He made a short introduction, then said with great emphasis, pointing to Snodgrass, "I never bolted the straight democratic ticket in my life." This thrust was made because Judge Dave Snodgrass had led seven hundred delegates out of the democratic convention and nominated S. F. Wilson for Governor, and H. C. Snodgrass had voted for Wilson. Nolan had been speaking just two and a half minutes and two-thirds of his audience were on their feet yelling. Debate at Old Union Church The next day the debate was to be at Union Church in Hickory Valley. Snodgrass sent enough men from Sparta to fill the house and crowd out most of those who came from the neighborhood. Snodgrass, defeated in argument the day before, now came back with all his resources. He was out for victory at any price. He used forged history at will. His best thrust was this: Nolan had a paper with very black lines of different lengths showing the cost of different commodities, alcohol being in the center of the upright lines, and the longest. Snodgrass had a dimunitive one printed in lines, very pale. He flung it up saying, "Here is Caesar's bloody mantle. Look, yesterday, when Nolan displayed it, there was a great commotion, I never saw the like. Tom Mitchell fainted, Dr. Rascoe had a fit, and Dr. Findley swooned away." The people outside who could not hear all that was said, thought from the cheers of those who had crowded out the natives that Snodgrass was "cooking Nolan's goose for him." Snodgrass made unbecoming remarks about Judge Frizzell's personal appearance, the Judge said, "I have never had such remarks made to me about my personal appearance in my life." But he didn't know Snodgrass heretofore. Debate at Sparta The debate ended in Sparta. Debate at Cookeville After this General Dibrell and Columbus Marchbanks went to Cookeville to debate with Snodgrass and Jarvis. Before the debate began the Dibrell boys told Snodgrass that if he made such remarks about their old father as he had made about Judge Frizzell that there would be something doing, and that he had to treat the General courteously. Snodgrass was a perfect gentleman on this occasion. Aftermath The temperance cause lost, but this debate made a deep impression on many who remembered and thought about the issues and years later the temperance cause won. Snodgrass made capital of the immediate success and went to Congress, aided by those whom he had helped. Though the Good Templars were defeated in this campaign of 1887 the movement was not dead. Lodges were organized all over the State, which carried on for many years. The Good Templar lodge at Cherry Creek held together under the leadership of D. L. Lansden, afterwards Supreme Judge of Tennessee, after the others had all gone to pieces. Seals, Monroe. History of White County. Unknown: Unknown, 1935. 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